Changes
by Nessa67
Summary: After high school, Sakura Haruno left her hometown to make something of herself. Now a successful doctor, she decides to finally come back to Konoha for some much needed rest and relaxtion. It's been ten long years. Have things changed? M for language
1. Chapter 1

Hey all,

This is my first ever fanfic! It's very AU/OOC, but that's just how I had it thought up in my head, hehe :)

Please review! Thank you for reading!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. (But wouldn't it be awesome if I did?)

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_I can't believe I'm back here_, Sakura thought as she picked up her bags from the baggage claim. At the age of 27, she has already done well for herself. She's a doctor getting paid a 6-digit salary, but prior to that, she did some modeling to help pay for her tuition. Growing up, she didn't have many luxuries, so she used her brain to get her scholarships and grants to help pay for school. Not only did her brain get her far, but so did her exquisite beauty. Her unique pink locks got her several modeling contracts with top salons and even more so, her flawless face has graced the cover of Seventeen a few times. Though many offers fell at her feet to continue modeling, she didn't like the lime light. Her ultimate dream was always to save lives and make something of herself rather than just being a pretty face; and she did just that. Taking in a deep breath, she wished herself luck as she headed down to the rent-a-car station with her luggage in hand.

"Oh my kami! Are you really THE Sakura Haruno? I've gotta get the other girls! Excuse me, I'll be right back," squealed the rent-a-car agent when she saw Sakura's ID.

"Actually, it's Dr. Haruno, but you can call me Sakura," Sakura said playfully. But it was too late, the agent was already out of her sight. Hoping that the poor girl didn't make too much of a scene, Sakura peeked over her shoulder to see if anyone was behind her. She sighed in relief since she was the only person at the station at this time. _Thank goodness I took the late flight home_, she thought to herself. Then appeared 3 girls standing agape from behind the counter, one she noticed was slightly red as if she forgot to breathe. Sakura just flashed them all a smile, "How are you all doing ladies?"

"I have your cover shots hanging on my wall, but you are so much prettier in person," said one girl with brown hair that was tucked into two neat buns on top of her head. "By the way, my name is Ten Ten. It's my pleasure to meet you."

"H-h-hello Haruno-san. It's an honor to be graced by your presence. C-c-can I please have your autograph?" a voice creeked from behind Ten Ten. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga, nice to meet you." she said and bowed humbly.

"So… is your hair naturally pink or is it dyed? There's no way that it's natural right? Because that's just crazy! Do you get to keep all the clothes they have you wear at photo shoots? Or do they make you buy them? Where's your…" a blonde rambled before she was elbowed at her side by an annoyed Ten Ten.

"Seriously Ino, you need to stop… right… now…" Ten Ten said behind gritted teeth and a faux smile while having her eyes glued on Sakura.

"You girls are quite cute. I didn't think anyone recognized me since I stopped modeling years ago," Sakura said knowing quite well she was fishing for more compliments. But it was true that she hasn't been in the business for about 2 years now. Yet it was always nice to get recognized wherever she went. "I'm gonna be in town for about a week. Here's my card, let me buy you girls a round of drinks sometime. See ya!" she said as she walked out of the building.

"Wow, this has to be the most awesomest day of my life! Who would have thought Sakura Haruno was a nice person? I always thought if I ever met a celebrity they would be flat out bitchy. Boy was I wrong huh? I'm so glad we decided to work here this summer," Ino shouted in glee.

"This is first best idea you've ever came up with Ino, I'll give you that much credit at least," Ten Ten teased.

"W-w-we should call Sakura-chan and t-t-tell her to come out tomorrow night. I'm sure the gang won't mind right? B-b-besides, she hasn't been to Konoha in almost 10 years so it would be nice t-t-to show her what's new," Hinata stuttered out.

"We're gonna be hanging out with a celebrity! That means we'd better go shopping tomorrow morning," Ino exclaimed.

Ten Ten and Hinata looked at each other and sighed. When it came to shopping with Ino, she was like a soldier on a mission. Price did not matter one bit. One time she spent $1000 on a Gucci dress she had seen in a magazine ad on supermodel Temari. "Alright, we'll go tomorrow morning," Ten Ten said as she rolled her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

_Ten years and this place hasn't changed one bit_, thought Sakura as she was driving to her parent's house on Hokage Hill. It was nearly midnight and she started to feel the fatigue catching up with her. She was about 45 minutes away from her destination when she decided to kick her car into high gear. The only thought in her head now was how good a comfy bed would feel on her body, and if she just could go a little faster then she could be where she wanted to be sooner. With that, she turned up the volume on the radio to help keep her awake for the drive ahead.

Sakura was about 10 minutes away from her comfy bed until she saw blue lights flash in her rearview mirror. "Oh shit, you gotta be kidding me. No one is even on the road at this hour…" she muttered to herself and pulled over to the side of the road. Looking straight ahead into the dark road she heard a light tap at her window. _Here we go_, she thought as she rolled it down. "Good evening officer. What seems to be the trouble?" Sakura said flashing one of her million dollar smiles.

"License and registration ma'am," boomed a deep voice.

"This is a rental. Here's the paper work and my license, officer." Sakura flirted, or at least tried to.

"Sakura Haruno is it? Now give me your REAL license ma'am. I'm not in the mood for pranks tonight. I need you to please step out of the vehicle," the voice said, this time sounding a little annoyed.

_Are you fucking serious? I don't believe this is happening to me and I haven't even been in Konoha for an hour_, Sakura cursed as she slid on her Louis Vuitton pumps and opened the car door. As she was getting up from the car, she glanced over to the name on the officer's badge. _Uchiha. Just my luck_, she thought as she straightened up her blouse and denim skirt. It took some time for her eyes adjusted to the dark and when it did, she took a good look at the officer's face. _He looks awfully familiar but I can't seem to place his face with anyone I know_, Sakura thought. "What seems to be the problem officer? I'm Sakura Haruno. You can verify that picture on that ID as me. I'll show you my credit cards and I'll guarantee you that it'll say Sakura Haruno on them too…"

_Holy shit it really is her_, the officer thought. He hasn't seen Sakura Haruno since they were lab partners in high school biology their senior year. In truth, he _has_ seen her on magazine ads and billboards but had always convinced himself that it was just a coincidence that there was another model named Sakura Haruno with pink hair. He just proved that his thought process was completely wrong. _Talk about good girls gone bad_, he thought and smirked to himself. "Pinky? It's really you huh?"

_Pinky? Who the hell does he think he is? This is just outrageous_, Sakura thought. "Officer Uchiha is it," Sakura said while squinting to read the name embroidered on the officer's shirt. "No one has called me Pinky since high school, and quite frankly I've always hated that name. I'd appreciate it if you use a little more respect and address me by my real name which is printed right there on my ID which you are holding in your hand," she snapped as she tried racking her brain of the name Uchiha. It still didn't ring a bell and it was starting to piss her off. "If you are going to write me a ticket please go ahead and do that soon, I have been on a plane for 9 hours and prior to that I have been at work pulling a double shift, which if you cannot add, equates to 16 hours. I am tired… I am bitchy… and I'd just like to go home to my bed. So please, do what you have to do so we can get this over with officer Uchiha."

_She doesn't recognize me does she? And who would've thought she was one of my biggest fan girls too. What a shame_, thought officer Uchiha. "Do you know how fast you were going? Well let me tell you. You were going 60 miles an hour in a 25 mile an hour zone. I'm just doing my job to keep this neighborhood safe ma'am," he said with a tinge of sarcasm. _She's kind of cute when she's mad_, he thought as he braced himself for another verbal blow out from the pink haired woman.

_I'm too tired to argue_, Sakura thought as she leaned back on her car with the look of defeat and fatigue. "I'm sorry officer Uchiha for the way I blew up at you, it was completely uncalled for," she said while kicking the dirt with her Louis Vuitton pumps. "I understand you are just doing your job. So would you be so kind as to just give me my ticket so I can be on my way home. I promise not to speed this time, you can follow me home if you like to make sure of it."

_Inviting me to her home already? I never thought she had it in her_, officer Uchiha thought. "I will let you off with a warning this time ma'am, but be informed that this will be your only chance. Next time I'm going to issue you a ticket. Celebrity or not, the law is the law," he said while handing her things back.

Sakura took her things from him while keeping her head down. _Who the hell is he_, she thought as she still hasn't figured out who this officer was. Though it was pretty clear to her that he knew who she was, she still couldn't place a face to that name. He knew her wretched nickname which meant they went to school together. Now standing in the dark in an awkward silence she noticed that the officer hasn't moved from his spot. "So… that's it then? Thanks for letting me off with a warning officer, I appreciate it. Have a good night," Sakura said as she turned to open her car door.

"See you around, Pinky. Welcome back," smirked officer Uchiha as he gave Sakura a half-ass salute. He stepped out of the way and waited until she started up her engine and drove off. _She's gonna remember me, I'll make sure of it_, he thought as he walked to his patrol car. Starting up the engine, he glanced at his clock on the dashboard and let out a long sigh. He reached for the radio, "Dispatch, this is Captain Uchiha. Do you copy?"

"Yes sir. Go ahead," chirped the female voice on the other end.

"I'm done for the night. Make sure Uzumaki finishes up his paperwork for tomorrow morning would you? Thanks," Captain Uchiha said into the device.

"Yes sir. Good night sir," the radio chirped back.

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Please review!! Thank you for reading! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The 10 minute drive home was the most grueling 10 minutes Sakura has ever experienced in her life. More grueling than 10 minutes spent pumping a dying person's heart with her bare hands. More grueling than 10 minutes spent getting ready for fashion week in New York. "Uchiha…" she breathed out. The evening's encounter with officer Uchiha replayed in her head as she desperately tried to identify him. "Who the hell are you, Uchiha?" Sakura softly said as she pulled into her parent's driveway. _Screw the Uchiha, I want my bed_, she smiled at the thought and grabbed her luggage from the trunk and went for the front door. As she went to knock on her front door, it opened and she was greeted by her half-asleep younger brother Sai.

"Okaeri, Sakura-chan. Hand me your bags so I can get back to bed," Sai said sleepily while reaching out for her luggage.

"I've missed you too, Sai-kun," Sakura said as she hugged her younger brother then handed her luggage over to him. "Gosh every time I see you, you are getting thicker and thicker," she teased as she poked at his 6-pack.

"Yeah well the ladies like it so I can't complain. Keep your voice down, mom is sleeping. She tried to stay awake to welcome you home but she just can't stay up past 11 o'clock no matter how hard she tries," whispered Sai.

Sakura giggled and tip-toed towards her sleeping mother, "I'm home mom, good night." She fixed the blanket that fell off of her mother while she was asleep and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Strolling to her bedroom, Sakura took in the sights of the house she grew up in. _Nothing's changed_, she thought.

"And here we are, Princess. Want me to help you unpack?" asked Sai.

"Nah, I'm gonna do that tomorrow morning. Right now I just want that big, beautiful bed," Sakura said to her brother and smiled. "Shhh, if you listen very carefully you can hear it calling me. 'Sleep on me I'm waiting for the warmth of your beautiful body'." she said playfully.

"You're still a dork no matter what anyone says, I swear," Sai said rolling his eyes at his sister's antics. "Welcome home sis. You've been gone too long, it's nice to have you back," he said as he hugged her sister good night and headed for his bedroom flipping her a peace sign while walking away.

Too tired to change her clothes, Sakura plopped down on her old bed. "Comfy, just the way I remember it," she said to herself. _Nothing's changed except that I'm an older, wiser, and hotter person that what I was all those years ago_, Sakura grinned at the thought. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, "Uchiha…" Then it was off to dreamland for Dr. Haruno.

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Sorry for such a short chapter. I was afraid that if I didn't write my mind was gonna go blank hehe.

Don't forget to review! Thank you for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank for the reviews so far. I'm glad that you're all enjoying it as much as I am writing it.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.

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Chapter 4

Ten Ten was not a morning person. The sun had barely made it over Hokage Hill and her phone was already ringing off the hook. _Ino… I swear…_, she thought as she reached for her cell phone. "Yes Ino I'm up," Ten Ten said groggily.

"I'll be right over! So you better be ready by the time I get there," screamed the blonde on the other line.

"Why don't you pick up Hinata first? I live the farthest away anyway. I could have slept for another 15 minutes you know," Ten Ten said as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"But you take forever to get out of bed, Ten Ten. Now, WAKE UP already," Ino shouted before she hung up the phone.

_Geez, the mall doesn't even open for another couple hours. I don't see why she insists on waking up so early_, thought Ten Ten as she stretched and got out of her bed.

* * *

_Ugh, where's that damn snooze button_, Captain Uchiha thought as he blindly searched for his alarm clock. He cracked one eye open and when it finally came into focus it read 6:30am. "I need a vacation," he said to himself as he pulled the blanket back over his head. _Ten more minutes_, he told himself as he slammed the snooze button down and tried to go back to sleep.

The alarm clock went off 10 minutes later, and Captain Uchiha chose to ignore it again. "Yo Sasuke! Wake the fuck up or I'm gonna have to come in and break that alarm clock," said a voice from the other side of his wall.

_Itachi just had to pick the right time to get his house renovated_, Sasuke thought before he finally turned off his alarm clock. With a yawn, he swung his feet out of bed and sat up. "I should have just paid for a hotel room for a month for him," groaned Sasuke. _Hell he can afford it, why should I even offer to pay for his accommodations?_

As the hot water washed over his body, Sasuke's thoughts wandered to last night's events. Running into Sakura Haruno was unexpected, and he hated being caught by surprise. He liked to be the person that was one step ahead; being the captain of the Konoha police force has taught him that. But this particular surprise he didn't mind. "Sakura Haruno, you've definitely grown up haven't you?" Sasuke said to himself and smirked. _Down, boy_, he chided himself as he looked down only to catch himself getting aroused at the thought of Sakura. He reached for the cold water valve and turned it up. _Can't be going into the station thinking these thoughts_. Sasuke stood in the now cold shower with his hands up against the wall in front of him. _Today is going to be a long day…_

_

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_

Sakura stirred in her bed as the sunlight lit up her room. _Mmm.. . I smell coffee, _she thought. Lifting a tired eyelid then followed by the other, Sakura observed her surroundings. As her eyes wandered, they stopped on her cell phone that was sitting on the night stand. _It's only 7:00. I thought I could get at least another couple hours._ Poor Sakura's sleep patterns have been so scattered about since she started at the hospital 2 years ago. A few hours here and there throughout the day, but never more than 6 hours in a single sleep session. "I guess I'm up," she muttered as she got out of bed.

Sakura rummaged through her luggage to find something to wear. Still in last night's attire, she looked for something for comfortable. She pulled out a pair of jeans and an Ed Hardy t-shirt. _Comfy._ Smiling, she gave herself a quick look in the mirror, puckered her lips, and went out of her room heading for the kitchen.

"Ohayoo okaa-san," said Sakura to her mother as she was reached for a coffee mug.

"Ohayoo, Sakura-chan! Welcome home!!" Mrs. Haruno said as she embraced Sakura lovingly. "I tried to stay awake last night but you know me. It really is nice to see you Sakura-chan. Hey, are you losing weight? I bet you're not eating enough there. Come, let me fix you some breakfast," she said poking at Sakura's stomach.

"Okaaaa-san," Sakura whined. "I am eating and doing just fine."

"Instant ramen isn't a meal, Sakura-chan," Mrs. Haruno teased.

"Blasphemy! If Naruto-kun can survive off ramen, why can't I?" Sakura laughed and her mother joined in too. "Speaking of Naruto-kun, did you tell him that I was coming home? I kinda wanted to keep it a surprise and visit him at the police station later on," Sakura said.

"Oops, I didn't know. I already told him you were coming home," Sai said as he entered the kitchen.

"Damn Sai, you're such an ass! I told you before I came home not to tell anyone," Sakura said as he playfully slapped her brother on the arm.

"Ouch! Geez, I told him you were coming home… but I didn't tell him _when_. You're no fun Sakura-chan," Sai said as he rubbed his arm. "You're some kind of friend making Naruto-kun come visit you all the time and you never came home once since you graduated high school. He's been bugging me every single day since I told him that you were coming back."

Feeling a little guilty, Sakura put her head down. "I'm sorry. It's just that I got so caught up in school, then the whole modeling thing, then work… He's not mad at me is he?"

"Mad? Are you kidding? He brags about you ALL the time. He's always like, 'Sakura-chan is my best friend and I've known her since we were in diapers!' Of course no one believes him. In fact, I even heard this rumor that Sakura Haruno – the model, stole your name and dyed her hair pink just like yours when she got popular. I mean think about it sis, you were the ugly duckling all your life until you left Konoha. No offense, of course, so don't punch me!" Sai argued as he braced himself for one of Sakura's killer punches.

"Now now kids, our Sakura-chan was always beautiful. It's just that she took her time coming out of her shell. Isn't that right, Sakura-chan?" Mrs. Haruno said.

"Stolen identity? Ha! Ugly duckling? Ha! I'm all brains still, the beauty is just something extra," laughed Sakura nervously. "Who started that dumb rumor anyway? This town has nothing better to do than to talk a bunch of shit. Would it have been more politically correct if I went off to become a doctor and came back home ugly? I bet that's what everyone was expecting huh?"

Putting his arm around her, Sai tried to comfort a mildly upset Sakura. "Sakura-chan, mom is right. You were always beautiful. It just took the town 10 years to finally realize that. We love you, ugly or not."

"I'm fine Sai-kun. Thank you. It's just frustrating that you think that you can change for the better, and upon returning home, nothing else has changed," Sakura sighed into her brother's shoulder.

"I'm taking you out with me tonight. We can show the town that Sakura Haruno – the model/doctor/ugly duckling is indeed my sister, and rub it in their faces," Sai softly said to his beloved sister.

"Before you go off conquering the town, why don't you 2 kids have some breakfast first," said Mrs. Haruno holding up a plate of bacon and eggs.

_We'll show 'em alright. _With that thought, Sakura took the plate from her mother's hands and set it on the kitchen table. _We'll definitely show 'em._

* * *

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for the reviews :) Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 5

"Uzumaki!! I thought I said the paperwork needed to be turned in this morning. I'm looking at my desk, and I'm not seeing any paperwork," Sasuke said with a look of disappointment to the tall man with messy blonde hair. "We can't afford both our asses on the line. I have to file my report to the chief this afternoon." _Great. What excuse does dobe have for me this time?_

"Fuck Uchiha. Just because you made captain and I didn't doesn't mean you can talk down on me like that. Besides, the unit just got off a 12-hour standoff and they were physically and emotionally drained. I took it upon myself to help raise the morale by buying the boys some drinks after that shit," barked Lt. Uzumaki.

"That's all you ever think of. Sake and ramen. With your new position…" Sasuke trailed off.

"Comes great responsibility. Yeah yeah yeah. Horse shit Uchiha. You know it wouldn't kill you to take a break, or even come out with the guys once in a while. It would be nice for them to know that their captain isn't some stuck up prick that barks orders all day long," argued Lt. Uzumaki.

"I do give a shit about my unit. I am responsible for all of their lives, yours included," sighed Sasuke. "Look Naruto, I don't want to argue with you. Can you please get it done by noon so we can both have our jobs tomorrow? I don't trust anyone else but you to help me, so please let's just get this shit done," pleaded Sasuke as he sat back in his chair rubbing his temples.

"Sure thing boss. But I do have one condition," Naruto said with a grin.

"I'll agree to anything as long as you can get the damn paperwork done. Now out with it," Sasuke said knowing quite well he just dug himself his own grave.

"Come out tonight. Let's go have a few beers with the guys and check out some ladies while we're at it. I don't think I've seen you take a break since your promotion, and I'm sure the guys will want to get to know their fearless captain a little better," Naruto said. _Gotcha sucka._

_Think fast Uchiha. My brother is sick. I gotta do some charity work at the temple. Fuck think! _"I can't tonight Naruto. My brother's wife left him and I've been his emotional pillar for the past couple days. You know how it goes, he's family, I can't just leave that shit by himself," Sasuke said trying to sound sympathetic. _Nice one._

"That's too bad about Itachi. I'll get straight to that paperwork, boss. Remember you owe me one," Naruto said as he was going for the door. _What a shitty liar._ "See ya in a few, boss." With that Naruto was out the door and headed for his desk.

* * *

"Another purple blouse? Aren't you getting sick of having almost everything in your closet purple? Geez Ino, try something else on," said Ten Ten from the other side of the store.

"But purple looks so good on me! I can't help it that I'm drawn to purple ok? Fine, pick something else for me then," shouted Ino from the fitting room.

Ten Ten and Hinata exchanged the same bored look and poked around the racks to find something _not_ purple to hand their friend. "Hey Hinata, this black dress would look so cute on you. You should go try it on," smiled Ten Ten as she handed the dress to Hinata.

"Um… isn't it a little too… revealing?" Hinata said as she twirled a piece of hair between her fingers.

"Nah, you'd look so good in it! Go try it on and come out when you're done," Ten Ten said as she handed the black dress to her friend. _Hinata is gonna look smokin' in that dress!_ "Oh, and give this to Ino on your way there too."

Hinata laughed as she took the dress from Ten Ten's hands. "Oh you're bad Ten Ten… Ino is going to flip out when she sees this," Hinata said as she was wiping her eyes.

"Serves her right for dragging us out this early. Who knows, she might even like it," Ten Ten said as she grabbed a white halter top off the rack for herself. "You know what? Let _me_ give it to her," grinned Ten Ten as they both strolled to the fitting room.

A soft knock was heard at Ino's door. "Here try this on Ino. You're the only person I know that could pull this off," Ten Ten said as she threw the dress over the top of the fitting room door. "Come out when you're done. Hinata and I are right next door."

A little while later a loud screech was heard coming from Ino's fitting room. "Oh my Kami! Ten Ten! Hinata! Come here quick!" a frantic Ino shouted.

The girls ran to Ino's door. Hinata in her halter dress that had a deep V neckline accentuating her _assets_ and Ten Ten in her fitted ruffled white halter top and a pair of leather pants, waited in front of Ino's room. The door slowly opened and out came Ino in a silver and gold sequin tube dress that hugged her in all the right places. "I love it!!! Thanks you guys!" exclaimed Ino. "You look hot too Hinata! Wow, I wish I could have boobs like yours! Ten Ten you have that 'librarian/stripper' look, I love it! We're gonna be fierce tonight!"

They giggled in unison and went back to their respective rooms to change back into their clothes. They were armed and ready for their night out. "Hey did anyone call Sakura-chan? Let's invite her to the club tonight. I bet we can even get in for free if she's with us," Ino said.

"Yeah, I've got her number but you talk to her. I'm afraid I'm gonna start stuttering once I hear her voice on the other line," blushed Hinata as she gave Sakura's card to Ino.

Ino fished in her Gucci bag for her cell phone and started hammering away at Sakura's digits. "Hello Sakura-chan, it's me Ino from the rent-a-car place last night. Would you like to come out with us to the club tonight? It just opened up a week ago… and you said you were buying us drinks…" Ino said nervously.

"Oh hey Ino-chan! Let me get back to you about that, I promised my brother I'd go out with him tonight. Can I give you a call later?" asked Sakura.

"Yeah no problem, sorry for bothering you. Well, you have my number so call me anytime ok?" Ino said sounding a little let down.

"I will Ino-chan. Thank you for inviting me. Bye now," Sakura said and hung up.

* * *

"Who was that Sakura-chan?" asked Sai as he glanced over to his sister in the passenger seat of his Mercedes Benz.

"I met some girls last night at the rent-a-car agency and I told them I'd take them out for drinks while I was here. They were all so nice I couldn't resist," smiled Sakura.

"Are they hot? What are their names?" Sai pestered.

"Calm those hormones down Sai-kun," teased Sakura. "Well there were 3 of them; Ten Ten, Hinata, and Ino. She's the one that just called…" said Sakura.

In an instant, Sai slammed his brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. "Did you just say Ino? Please tell me it's Ino Yamanaka! Please! Please! Please!" Sai said in such a way that alarmed Sakura.

"What the fuck Sai-kun? Yes, her name is Ino Yamanaka. What is it? You're starting to freak me out," said a concerned Sakura.

"Holy shit you _are_ serious aren't you?! I've been trying to get that girl to notice me for months, but I just never had the balls to ever go up to her and, you know, talk or whatever. She's sooo hot sis, you don't even know," said Sai. "Call her back right now and tell her you're taking her up on her offer. They are coming tonight!"

"She's a tad superficial though isn't she? How about that Hinata girl…" said Sakura until Sai cut her off.

"NO! Ino and ONLY Ino!" begged Sai.

Laughing, Sakura called Ino back and said that she'd love to go to the club with them. Looking at her brother she was making funny kissy faces silently while getting the details of where the club was located. "Ok I got it. I'll meet you guys there at around 11 o'clock. See ya!" said Sakura as she hung up the phone. "Now can we get going? I have someone important that I want to see."

* * *

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Enjoy :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 6

_Orochimaru was detained after my unit invaded his hideout at Pier 49 following a 12-hour standoff. Negotiation teams were unsuccessful, so Hyuuga, Nara, and I took over the negotiations. Orochimaru's demands were 15 million yen to be sent to his Swiss bank account in 48 hours or else he would blow up the pier. As we continued to talk to Orochimaru via bullhorn, Nara found an alternative entry to the abandoned building that was not secured, and notified the team of his discovery…_

Naruto was trying to recall the events that day for his report as he stared at the blinking cursor on the computer screen. _Damn I should have finished this earlier. A lot of things are a blur,_ he thought as he reclined in his chair. "Yo Hyuuga, you got a minute?" he called out to a man with a ponytail several feet away from him.

"Didn't do your report huh?" Hyuuga replied.

"You caught me," Naruto said while scratching the back of his head. "If I miss any details Uchiha is gonna come for my first-born child. Lend me a hand would ya?"

Hyuuga sighed and walked toward his superior. "Your promotion to lieutenant is another unsolved mystery of life to me," Hyuuga groaned and pulled up a chair next to Naruto. "Ok. What do you have so far?"

Naruto moved enough so Hyuuga could take a look at his computer screen. "Not bad so far. I wouldn't have thought you had any writing skills," grinned Hyuuga. "Well the rest is easy actually. Nara snuck in and found where Orochimaru was located, pinged his location, and the rest of the unit went to where Nara was. You and I were the decoys to keep Orochimaru talking so he would be under the assumption that we were in front of him the whole time. Nara notified you that Orochimaru had been bluffing the whole time and that the C4 that was supposedly strapped around his body was a complete fake. You and I went in through the front door, the rest of the team caught him by surprise through the rear, and Orochimaru was disarmed and detained. End of story."

"Sweet Hyuuga! Thanks!" Naruto said as he tapped away some more at his keyboard.

"So we good?" asked Hyuuga as he stood up from his chair.

"Yeah man. Appreciate the help," said Naruto as he busied himself with his report.

"I'm gonna get a bite to eat. You want anything?" Hyuuga called out from around the corner.

"I'm good Hyuuga. Thanks!" shouted Naruto hoping Hyuuga would hear him, but he had already left the room they were in.

As Hyuuga was headed for the exit, he spotted a pinkette with a lost look on her face. "Excuse me Miss, did you need any help?" asked Hyuuga. _Why does she look so familiar to me?_

"Hi sir. I was wondering if you could tell me if Lt. Uzumaki was in today," Sakura asked as she batted her eyelids.

_Uzumaki huh?_ "Well, that depends on who's asking Miss…" Hyuuga trailed off awaiting a response from the young lady. _Who had any idea Uzumaki knew any hot chicks personally? _

"My business with Lt. Uzumaki is _personal_, officer. So is he here or not?" a sassy Sakura said as she tried hard to not burst into laughter. She twirled at a piece of her long pink hair between her fingers, and waited for an answer.

Hyuuga gulped at the sight before him. _I've gotta see this shit._ "Wait here one moment ma'am. Let me see if he's in today," Hyuuga said as he gave Sakura one last look before heading towards the back of the office. As he made the turn, he peeked around the corner catching Naruto intently typing out his report. "Yo Uzumaki! You got a visitor," Hyuuga called out.

"Tell them i'm not here. I've got this shit to finish..." Naruto replied but was cut off.

"I don't think I can do that sir. SHE said it's personal and needs to see you asap," said Hyuuga.

"Alright. I'll be right there," Naruto called out.

Sakura sat in an uncomfortable chair while waiting for Naruto to come out. She could feel many pairs of eyes staring at her and heard whispers around the office. _Dammit Sai, why couldn't he come in  
with me? _Sakura thought. As she looked up, she saw a familiar head of blonde hair coming out of what looked like a back room. Behind him, trailed the man with the ponytail she had spoken to earlier. _It's showtime, Sakura! YOSH!  
_  
"Where's the broad at, Hyuuga?" Naruto asked looking around. Then he caught the sight of a young lady with pink hair sitting down. "Sakura-chaaaan! No fucking way!! When did you get in? Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto shouted as he ran towards his best friend. As if she didn't weigh a thing, he picked Sakura up in a bear hug and started spinning her around.

"Naruto-kun... Can't... Breathe..." Sakura managed to choke out. She looked around and noticed that more people came out from their hiding places to observe all the commotion.

"Gomen gomen Sakura-chan," Naruto said as he set her back down on the ground.

"Nice to see you too, Naruto-kun," Sakura said as she tip-toed and gave him a peck on the cheek and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I wanted to surprise you."

Naruto hugged Sakura back and fought back the tears that flooded his eyes. He didn't want to look like a wuss in front of the whole station and he sure as hell didn't want Sakura to start freaking out. Even though he had visited her at least twice a year, it was much different this time because she was finally back home. "Welcome home, Sakura-chan," he said as he returned her hug.

_Did he just say Sakura-chan? No it couldn't possibly be..._ Hyuuga thought. "Ahem," Hyuuga appeared behind the two friends giving Naruto one of his signature cold looks.

"Oh hey Sakura-chan, this is Sgt. Hyuuga," Naruto said.

Sakura extended her hand to Hyuuga to shake it. "Nice to meet you Sgt. Hyuuga," she said politely.

"Just call me Neji. There's no need for formalities," Negi said trying to sound masculine. "I'll leave you two alone. Nice meeting you, Sakura," Neji said before walking away.

Sakura gave Neji a nod then turned to face Naruto. "So do you have a lunch break or something? Let's go get some ramen. My treat!" she squealed while tugging Naruto's arm towards the exit. "Come on, Sai is waiting in the car..."

"Eeto... Sakura-chan I can't go right now. I have a report it need to finish up. If I don't, my captain is gonna have my balls nailed to his wall this afternoon. I'm really sorry, Sakura-chan..." Naruto said sounding really bummed.

"Yo Uzumaki! Who's this?" came a voice from behind them.

"Yo Inuzuka, this is my best friend Sakura-chan. You know, the one I've been trying to tell you about but you fuckers never believed me. Sakura-chan, this is Inuzuka head of the canine unit," scoffed Naruto as he put his arm over Sakura's shoulder.

_So the shit was telling the truth?! I can't believe it's __Sakura Haruno__ and I'm standing right in front of her right now..._ "Please call me Kiba," he said as he reached for Sakura's hand and gave it a quick kiss. _I can die a happy man.  
_  
"Nice to meet you, Kiba," Sakura said as she gave him a flirty smile.

"Anyway, I came to tell you that the cap was looking for you. Something about a report," Kiba said looking at Naruto.

"Oh shit! Sakura-chan I'm really sorry but let's do lunch some other time ok? I promise I'll make it up to you," Naruto said giving Sakura his puppy-dog look.

"Aww your captain is a meanie," Sakura pouted. "No worries Naruto, I understand. You gotta do what you gotta do."

"Hey, I'm free if you want to go and have lunch with me," Kiba said with a mischievious grin.

"Don't even think about it, Inuzuka," a protective Naruto said glaring at Kiba.

"My bad, Uzumaki. You need to lighten up a bit," Kiba joked.

"And you need to tone it down, Inuzuka. Now go back to your unit and we'll discuss this later. That's an order," declared Naruto.

"Now now boys," Sakura said as she stepped in between the two men exchanging words. "Kiba-kuuun," Sakura smirked as she put both of her petite hands in his chest. "I'll make it up to you some other time ok? I just came to see my best friend right now so there's no need to act silly."

_Is she really touching me right now? Oh my fucking Kami!_ "Ok Sakura, sorry for being a jerk in front of you. Hopefully you're one to keep your word and I'll see ya around then," Kiba said as he kissed the back of Sakura's hand, then left.

"What a fucking ass! I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind..." Naruto said until he was cut off.

"Uzumaki!! Where the hell is Uzumaki?! What the hell do you think you guys are doing standing around?! This is a police station not a fucking circus, so get back to work! All of you!" came another voice headed towards them.

"Fuck me. Get out of here Sakura-chan before you get in trouble too," whispered Naruto.

"Who is that?" Sakura asked looking confused.

"That's my captain. I'll call you later ok?" a nervous Naruto said. He kissed Sakura on the cheek, gave her a quick hug, and ushered her towards the exit.

Fearing for the unexpected, she walked briskly out the door without turning back as she headed to Sai's car. _What shit luck_, she thought as she crossed the parking lot.

* * *

"Yo Uchiha I'm right here! Stop with the shouting already," Naruto said as he approached his captain.

"I have a meeting with the chief sooner than expected. Do you have that report ready for me?" asked Sasuke.

"I'm almost done. I just gotta finish up on the details. How soon do you need it anyway?" Naruto said as he tried to keep his calm.

"Thirty minutes," replied Sasuke. "The chief has some shit to do this afternoon, so he pushed our meeting early."

"I'll have it ready in ten. Time me," said Naruto as he rushed to his desk.

"All right. Leave it on my desk when you're done," Sasuke said before heading towards his office. As he was walking there, he overheard some of the officers talking.

"I can't believe that was actually THE Sakura Haruno and she was at OUR station!! She looks nothing like she did when she was younger. And to think we used to tease that twig when she was a kid... I'm sure kicking myself in the ass for that now," said an officer.

"Yeah man, we used to give her shit cuz her house was the smallest on all of Hokage Hill. Me and my friends used to beat up her kid brother and steal his lunch money," said another officer.  
_  
You had it hard didn't you, Sakura?_ Sasuke thought. "Ahem..." Sasuke snuck behind them and cleared his throat. "Do you honestly think you have the time to gossip like a bunch of schoolgirls? Now get back to work or else I'm putting all of you on overtime!"

"Sorry sir," the officers said in unison.

Continuing his walk to his office, Sasuke was lost in an ocean of thoughts. _Is that why you ran away Sakura? Did we hurt you that much? _Closing the door behind him, Sasuke walked over to his chair and plopped down. _People can change Sakura, I hope you know that._

_

* * *

_

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Enjoy!! :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 7

_Damn, what the hell is wrong with me? _Sasuke sat down at his desk with his hands over his face.

_Flashback…_

_Damn that Chief Kakashi! Why does he always have to pull this kind of shit on me? I can't believe he's pushing our meeting up because he has a date with detective Anko. Knowing Naruto, I bet he hasn't even gotten halfway through his report yet. _Sasuke was in a world of chaos right now and has been looking frantically for Naruto. _Maybe he's up front, I haven't checked there yet. What the fuck? Why is everyone out here?_

"Get out of here Sakura-chan before you get in trouble, too," whispered Naruto.

"Who is that?" Sakura asked looking confused.

"That's my captain. I'll call you later ok?" Naruto said as he bent down to give Sakura a peck on the cheek and a more-than-friendly embrace. He quickly ushered her out the door of the police station and pretended as if everything was fine.

_Sakura? What is she doing here?_ Sasuke rubbed his eyes at the sight before him. _Did I just see Uzumaki give her a kiss on the cheek_? He thought and continued to stare in silence at his lieutenant. _Well, he is the better man anyway… at least he always treated Sakura the way she ought to be treated since the beginning. As long as she's happy, I shouldn't be the one to take that away from her. Good for you, Naruto._ Shaking his head, Sasuke put back on his stern façade and walked towards the blonde.

"Yo Uchiha I'm right here! Stop with the shouting already," Naruto said as he approached his captain.

_End flashback…_

Sasuke opened his eyes to a light knock at his door. "Come in," he said. "Here's the report, Cap. Three pages, double-spaced, just the way you like it," Naruto beamed as he proudly handed over his report.

"Good job, Uzumaki. You just saved both our asses," Sasuke sighed in relief. "Well, I'm off to see the chief now. Thanks again."

"Uh Cap…?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Speak up Uzumaki. What is it?" said Sasuke sounding annoyed.

"I know what you said about Itachi earlier was bullshit," Naruto started. "I know you work way too many hours for your own good. I just kinda worry about you, you know?"

"Aww that's awfully sweet, pumpkin," Sasuke teased.

"In all seriousness man, you're a good friend of mine and I hate to see you kill yourself over this job. Why don't we go out tonight? Just to take a break from all this shit," Naruto asked humbly.

_Not this shit again. I thought he bought my story the last time… _"Naruto, I really can't…" Sasuke said as he stood up from his desk.

"Sasuke!" Naruto's voice boomed loud enough that it caught Sasuke by complete surprise. "We were buddies before we became partners, and partners before you became my boss! Don't give me this shit, I know you too well. One drink is all I ask. Take a fucking break man," argued Naruto as his chest began to heave erratically from his heavy breathing.

_He's right. What's one drink anyway? Besides, after this then maybe he'll stop bothering me._ "All right, I'll go get a drink with you later. But for now, let me finish this shit with the chief so we can all go home," Sasuke sighed in defeat. With that, he gave Naruto a friendly tap on his shoulder and walked out of his office.

* * *

Sakura and Sai were at a café having some coffee and catching up. They sat outside on the veranda and noticed that they were getting more attention than they would have liked. "Maybe we should have picked another place or got some take-out," Sakura sighed. "Or I could just dye my hair another color so people won't recognize me. Gosh, it's not nearly as bad back home." she said after signing another autograph for a passer-by.

"Well they can't help it that they are so star struck by my awesome sis you know," Sai teased. "Too bad you're a case of _mistaken identity_."

"Pssh," Sakura scoffed and playfully hit Sai on the arm. "So where's this hot spot we're going tonight, Sai-kun? The girls sounded really excited when they were telling me about it. Is it one of those upper-class kinds of clubs? Or more of a lounge? What's the crowd like?"

"Akatsuki is a pretty sick club. It's got 3 levels of dancing, go-go girls in cages, and every type of alcohol on the planet! You're gonna love it, I know," said Sai before he took a sip of his coffee. "It's almost impossible to get in, the line wraps around two full blocks. But I've got a celebrity for a sister, so I don't think it should be a problem," grinned Sai.

"I guess we should head home then. I've gotta go through my luggage to see if I packed anything fun to wear tonight," Sakura said as she winked at Sai. _Thank Kami I packed my go-go boots,_ Sakura thought as she let out a giggle.

"What's so funny, Sakura-chan?" Sai asked looking confused. "I don't particularly like the sound of that laugh either…"

"Don't worry about it Sai-kun, I've got this," smirked Sakura as she finished up the rest of her coffee. "Let's get going. I'm gonna need all the time in the world to get ready. Actually, let's make a quick stop at the mall before we head home."

* * *

Sasuke looked at his watch. _Seven o'clock and I'm beat. That drink sounds good right about now_, he thought to himself on the drive home. He tried to recall the last time he actually went out. "Five months months ago," he muttered to himself. Sasuke shook his head. _And it's been about nine months since I last got laid. Damn, I'm pathetic._ Suddenly, he felt a buzz in his pants pocket. _You read my mind, dobe._

"Yo Sasuke, where you at? I was thinking of swinging by at around 8 o'clock. Is that cool?" asked Naruto.

"Yeah that's fine. I'm almost home anyway," Sasuke responded.

"Oh hey, wear something nice would ya? We're gonna check out this new joint," Naruto said sounding serious.

"We're going out for a beer, not a date, Naruto," barked Sasuke. _What the hell does he have up his sleeve?_

"Don't worry about. Be ready by 8 o'clock and wear something nice. Later!" Naruto said before hanging up.

Sasuke clicked his phone shut and pulled into his driveway. _He better not be home. I'm not in the mood right now_, he thought as he walked towards his front door. Crossing his fingers and holding his breath, Sasuke slowly opened the door to his home. _Sweet! He's not home,_ Sasuke thought as he ran upstairs to his room to get ready for his evening out.

As he ran his fingers across several dress shirts, Sasuke stopped at a long sleeved cerulean blue one from Banana Republic with the sales tag still on. He then pulled a pair of black slacks and his Aldo dress shoes that were still new in the box. _Naruto better get here before Itachi comes home. It would really kill it for me if I had to drag his ass out tonight, too,_ Sasuke got irked at the thought. Decided on what to wear, he set the clothes on his bed and headed for the shower.

* * *

"Ino hun, you need to breathe," Ten Ten said as she tried to comfort a hyperventilating Ino who was breathing into a paper bag.

"I… can't… help… it…," Ino managed to say in between breaths.

"Ino, please calm down. You're making me more nervous than I already am…" Hinata said as she stroked Ino's long blonde locks that was tied back in a ponytail.

After her breathing was somewhat controlled, Ino stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. "Girls… This has got to be the most exciting night I've ever had… and we haven't even started it yet! I'm so glad to be sharing it with you," Ino said trying to fight back a sob.

"Oh no you don't Ino! Don't you go crying now or else your make up is going to get ruined!" scolded Ten Ten.

The three young ladies stood in front of the mirror with their arms linked with one another's in Ino's bathroom and stared at their reflection. "Wow…" they all whispered in sync. This is the first time they've ever gone all-out for an occasion, and the sight was just astonishing. Then out of nowhere, their moment of awe was shattered with a phone ring.

"It's her!! Oh my Kami! Hand me my phone!" shouted Ino.

"Here! Here!" Ten Ten said as she threw Ino the phone.

"Hi Sakura… Yes, we're doing ok…" Ino said while putting her finger over her mouth to hush the other girls. "Umm… Well I'm wearing a tube dress, Hinata is wearing a halter dress, and Ten Ten is wearing a fitted halter and some skinny jeans…" Ino continued to intently listen while giving the girls a very confused look. "I don't see why that's a problem… I'm sure they'll allow that, I've seen worse actually… Uh-huh… Okay Sakura, I'll see you in a little bit…" Ino said before hanging up.

"Well? What the hell was that about?" Ten Ten frantically asked.

"That was weird… First, she asked me what we were wearing, then she asked if the club had a particular dress code, which I don't think they do… Then, here's the weird thing, she asked if there was a limit to how much skin could be shown at the club… Isn't that really random or what?" Ino said, looking a little flustered.

"HA! This is THE Sakura Haruno we're talking about girls! She can pull off anything she wants for all I care," cheered Ten Ten.

The girls shrieked and jumped up and down in excitement. They were about to share a night out with Konoha's very own, Sakura Haruno.

* * *

"Sakura-chan…" Sai called out from the other side of her bedroom door. "Can you tell me if this outfit looks okay?"

"Be out in a moment, Sai-kun" Sakura answered while zipping up her gold mini skirt. _This will definitely get people's attention._ When she opened the door, Sai started blushing madly and he quickly looked away.

"Uhh… Sakura-chan… You're not really wearing _that_ are you?" Sai said bashfully as he tried to focus his attention on something other than his sister. "You know, you're going to get into a lot of trouble wearing that tonight right?"

"Oh this thing?" Sakura taunted. "Nah, I think this is just perfect for my first night back home. Don't you think?" _I'm just merely giving Konoha a little taste of what ugly ducklings turn into._

_

* * *

_

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I'm a sucker for details. What can I say?

Long chapter ahead. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or its characters.

* * *

Chapter 8

"Do you really expect me to stand in this long ass line? This is insane, Naruto! Come on, let's go look for a bar or something," Sasuke said as he started to walk back to Naruto's car.

"Oh come on. It's not that bad, stop being such a kill joy, Sasuke. Besides, it's only about a half hour wait anyway," said Naruto and he yanked at Sasuke's arm headed towards the back of the line. "Stand here a minute. Lemme go check if Kiba and the guys are in a closer spot in line. Maybe we can cut in with them."

Sasuke sighed and nodded to his blonde friend. "Okay. Don't take too long. I don't want to look like some kind of loner going to a club by myself."

"Be right back," Naruto called out as he jogged away.

_How the hell did I let him talk me into this_? Sasuke thought as he stood uncomfortably observing the scene before him. He noticed in that short period of time since Naruto left him that he no longer was the last person in line. There were at least 12 other people behind him. _Interesting… I didn't know Akatsuki was this popular._

* * *

"Oh my Kaaaaamiiiiii!! I can't believe we're here!" Ino squealed in delight. She and the girls were in the back of the line waiting anxiously.

"I-I-I think I'm g-g-going to faint from all this excitement you guys," Hinata softly said as she held herself up on Ten Ten's shoulders.

"Hinata please, just breathe okay?" Ten Ten said as she rubbed Hinata's back. "You need to relax so your stutter doesn't come back."

"I-I-I'll try..." said Hinata as she counted to ten silently in her head.

* * *

"I don't know why you didn't let me drive, Sai-kun. I really don't see what the fuss is all about," grumbled Sakura. _If I knew he was gonna be my chauffeur for my whole trip I wouldn't have rented a damn car._

"You can't have Cinderella rolling up to one of the hottest clubs in a pumpkin now can you? I thought my car would add a little more flair to your grand entrance anyway," Sai replied.

_Meh, he has a point_, she thought while a smile crept to her face. "You don't think I overdid it do you? Be honest..."

Sai took a big breath of air and exhaled slowly. "Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly Sai-kun..." answered Sakura.

"Promise you won't hit me?" Sai winced at the thought.

"Yes. Now please tell me..." Sakura said annoyed.

"You are so hot that I can't even look at you right now because I'd feel all grossed out checking out my own fucking sister," Sai said as he flexed his right arm preparing for a punch.

"Thanks Sai-kun. That's a little gross, but it's exactly the effect I was going for," smirked Sakura.

"Konoha is going to get the wind knocked out of 'em, that's for sure," Sai said proudly.

* * *

Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently, still waiting for his friend to return. _Man, where the fuck is he? _Suddenly, he felt someone nudge him on the shoulder.

"'Sup Cap? So Naruto finally convinced you to come out huh?" Kiba said, Neji and Nara following behind him. "Mind if we cut in with you? No? Thanks!" Kiba grinned as he stepped into the line next to Sasuke.

"Wow Cap, this is definitely a first. So you finally decided to pull that stick out of your ass after all," Neji poked fun at the sight of Sasuke looking out of place.

"You know Cap, I don't think I've ever seen you in civilian clothing either..." said Nara as he brushed imaginary dust off of Sasuke's shoulder.

_Mother fuckers. Well at least I'm not standing around by myself anymore. Where the fuck is Naruto?_ "Shut the fuck up, Nara. I was expecting shit from Kiba and Neji, but not you, man. You should consider getting some new friends."

Nara shot his boss a lazy look and stretched his arms towards the sky. "Troublesome. But at least I'm out of the house. Hey where's Naruto anyway?"

"He ran off to the front of the line looking for you guys," Sasuke said monotonously.

"Are you sure about that? Because from where I'm standing, he looks like he's hitting on that girl in the black dress," Kiba said looking behind him.

They all looked in the same direction as Kiba and sure enough there he was. "When did he get back there? Last I saw, he ran up in the front," Sasuke said.

* * *

Naruto stared straight into her light eyes and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "How 'bout a dance later?" His voice was low and sexy, and he licked his lips at the sight of the goddess before him.

_I can't believe this gorgeous guy is talking to me right now! _Hinata turned beet red while the blonde still stood oh-so-very-close to her warm body. "Umm... Sure. One d-d-dance," she whispered.

_Woohoo! Go Hinata! We're not even in the club yet, and guys are already hitting on you! _Ino inwardly cheered as she and Ten Ten watched on carefully. Then Ino's phone chirped from her Gucci clutch. "Hello Sakura!.. Yes we're standing in line... Huh?... What?... Sorry, you're breaking up I can't hear you..." _SHIT this is sooo not happening right now_, Ino cursed.

"What's up, Ino?" Ten Ten asked looking worried.

"Damnit! I was on the phone with Sakura until my phone got cut off or something... Lemme try and call her back," Ino said as she frantically jabbed at the number pad on her phone.

Ten Ten turned to see Hinata looking as if she were going to faint and giggled at the sight. _This guy sure is persistent._ "Hey Hinata, come here a minute would ya?" she said and beckoned her friend over.

"Hi Sakura, we got cut off earlier... Where?..." Ino was busying herself on the phone and stepped out of the line and into the street. "A silver Mercedes?... Yeah I see it," she said as she motioned Ten Ten to follow her. "Oh okay... See you soon!" Ino clicked her phone shut and let out a quiet and excited scream.

Ten Ten dragged Hinata by the wrist to where Ino was standing. "Hey he was pretty hot Hinata," Ten Ten whispered to a flustered Hinata. "Maybe he has hot friends that will buy us drinks, too!" They both giggled as they walked away.

"See you inside!" Hinata shouted back to Naruto as she was whisked away abruptly. "Why are we out here?" she asked Ino.

"Sakura told me to look for a silver Mercedes. I think that's her right there," Ino said as she pointed into the street. "Oh my Kami! Look you guys!"

The girls all turned their heads in the direction Ino pointed at. As the valet attendant opened Sai's passenger door, a long and toned leg appeared, followed by another, adorned with sparkling gold 5-inch strappy stilettos accented with rhinestones that tied at the ankles. A graceful hand with perfectly manicured nails extended out to reach for the attendant's hand from the vehicle. In that very instant, what was once a loud and boisterous environment fell freakishly silent.

Sakura was indeed a beautiful sight for all to see. She wore a white backless halter top that had a deep plunge which displayed the valley between her full C-cup breasts and bellybutton, that was paired with a tight, and extremely short, gold mini skirt that hugged her perfectly toned ass. Her long pink locks were in loose waves contouring her flawless face, and her bangs styled neatly in a side part. Sakura modestly adjusted her skirt and tucked her Louis Vuitton clutch under her arm while waiting patiently for Sai to hand the keys to the attendant, who was completely taken aback at her beauty.

"She is so beautiful..." Ten Ten stood motionlessly and admired Sakura's beauty.

"I think she sees us," Ino said as she waved to Sakura, who was waving in their direction. "Let's go girls!" They linked arms and headed towards Sakura.

* * *

Naruto strolled back to his place in line and found the rest of the guys there. "Where have you guys been? I was looking all over for you," he said while scratching the back of his head.

"We should be asking you that question," Nara answered.

"Pssh Shikamaru, don't even..." Naruto trailed scoffed.

"That girl you were talking to in that little black dress was pretty cute..." Kiba teased. "Does she have any cute friends?"

_Shit_. "She ran off somewhere. But she did say she was going to dance with me once we get inside," Naruto said with a playful smile. "Oh look, there she is! I wonder where are they off to in such a hurry."

"Let's follow her and see if she'll let us cut in line with them," said Kiba.

* * *

Sakura nudged Sai in the ribs, and he draped a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Knock 'em dead, sis," Sai said with a wink. Off in the distance, he saw three young ladies dressed to kill headed their way. _Oh my Kami... Ino is fucking smokin' tonight.  
_  
"Hi girls! This is my brother Sai. Sai this is Hinata, Ten Ten, and Ino," said Sakura.

_Kami help me... Even her brother is hot! It must run in the family or something_, Ino thought as she undressed Sai in her mind. "Nice to meet you, Sai," she said in a sexy voice.

"You people ready for this?" Sakura said as she linked her arm with Ino's and proceeded to walk up to the bouncer. "Hi Chouji," Sakura mewled, as she kissed him on the cheek. The heavyset bouncer couldn't believe his eyes as he lifted the red velvet rope to let Sakura and her entourage pass through.

"Welcome home, Sakura. Have a good time tonight," the gentle giant said as he gave her a nod and watched the 5 figures disappear into the dark club.

The crowd of people in line stood there in awe; guys drooling, girls snickering, mouths open, others screaming her name. "Holy shit, I can't believe it's Sakura Haruno!!" some shouted.

_That girl is gonna start a riot tonight_, Chouji thought as he replaced the rope back to its closed position.

* * *

"Damn I lost them!" pouted Naruto. "Hold up guys... Isn't that Chouji at the door?"

"I'll ask him if he'll let us in. Let's go," said Sasuke. He could hear the whispering and annoying squeals from some of the ladies in line, as he led the guys to the front. _Nice to know I still got it, _he smirked at the thought_._

"Yo Cap! I thought I'd never live to see this day," Chouji teased.

"So can you hook us up?" Sasuke asked.

"Sure thing, Cap. As long as you promise to give me a day off next Friday," chided Chouji.

With a frown, Sasuke gave him a curt nod and motioned the rest of the gang to follow. _This better be worth all the trouble. Damn that Naruto, he owes be big time.  
_  
"Thanks Chouji!" Naruto said while he passed by. Chouji tugged at his shirt to hold him back while the rest of the gang walked through. "What's up, Chouji?" he asked confused.

"Sakura just walked in," Chouji said with a smile from ear to ear.

Looking back at the guys, he turned to Chouji and sighed. "Tonight is gonna be one hell of a night, ne?" _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned._

* * *

Sakura and her friends were enjoying their instant VIP status. The owner of the club was informed of her arrival and he had set aside a room for her on the third floor that overlooked the entire club. All of their drinks were complimentary, and anything that she wanted, no matter how bizarre, was granted at her very command.

"I mean this is really nice and all, but I don't want to be cooped up in here all night," Sakura grumbled. "I want to go and mingle down there." _More like I want to go and rub it in their faces._ _Fucking haters._

She looked at her brother who was sitting comfortably close to Ino on the white leather couch. _They seem to be hitting it off. I don't want to disturb them._ "Let's go dance, Hinata and Ten Ten."Almost dropping their drinks, Ten Ten and Hinata stood up quickly and followed Sakura out of the VIP room and headed for the dance floor downstairs.

Holding hands and making a train through the sea of people, Sakura and company treaded onwards to the dance floor. "Bar!" Sakura shouted in the loud room so the girls would hear her, and the girls nodded in agreement.

* * *

"See teme, this isn't that bad right? I mean look at all the beautiful women in here tonight!" Naruto shouted over the music so Sasuke could hear.

"Hn," was Sasuke's only response as he went back to his glass of Black Label on the rocks.

"Come on Cap, you have to be a little entertained at least right? Look at that one with the red hair and glasses wearing that tight little number," Kiba pointed out to a woman standing against the wall.

Sasuke glanced at the woman Kiba was pointing at and immediately turned around. _Fuck, you gotta be kidding me, _Sasuke thought as he grabbed his glass and drank it all in one gulp. "Yo bartender, gimme a double… Fast," he growled as he sunk lower into his bar stool.

Naruto noticed Sasuke's mannerisms and knew right away the cause of his friend's actions. "That psycho bitch is here, isn't she?" he asked loud enough for only Sasuke to hear. When Sasuke nodded, Naruto could feel a surge of guilt pass through his veins. _Bad idea._"Man, what a way to fuck up your night," he said as he squeezed Saskue's shoulder. "Let's go move to another spot…"

Before Naruto could stand up, he caught the sight of a streak of red hair passing through the crowd headed their way. _Shit! Shit! Shit! We're too late! _Naruto cursed and braced himself for the inevitable. There was no way they were going to make it without her noticing them leave. _I'm sorry, dobe._

"Sasuke-kuuun!! I knew it was you!" shouted a female voice. "I thought you never liked these kinds of places. It must be fate bringing together, huh?"

_Fuck. Me._ Sasuke turned his head around slowly and saw the red headed woman less a foot away from him. "Karin," he glumly said as he tried to think of a plan of escape. _Where the fuck is that drink damnit_, he thought as he focused his eyes at something behind that bar so he wouldn't have to look at the woman.

Karin sat in an empty stool next to Sasuke and leaned in towards him. "Hey Sasuke-kun… want to dance with me?" she asked as her fingers tip-toed up his thigh. "Or how about we go back to my place…"

Sasuke pushed her hand away as it was getting dangerously close to his crotch. "Karin, go away." he said behind gritted teeth. _Someone just fucking kill me right now_.

Naruto couldn't stand to see his friend tortured anymore and tried to pull Sasuke away from that wench. "Yo Sasuke, Shikamaru is calling us over. Let's go," he said as he tugged at Sasuke's shirt.

"If you don't mind, we're trying to have a conversation here. So if you could please just leave, I'd appreciate that," Karin snapped.

Naruto looked around the club secretly praying for some kind of miracle to happen. _What do I do? _His gaze stopped at an extremely huge crowd of people headed their way. _What the fuck is going on?_ As he continued to look on, he caught a glimpse of pink hair in the middle of that crowd. _Sakura-chan? Oh thank Kami! _" Sasuke, I gotta pee I'll be right back," he said to Sasuke while giving him a 'don't worry I'll get you out of this mess' look and ran off. _Hang in there teme, I got this._

* * *

"Excuse me please, I'm just trying to get to the bar…" Sakura demurely said as she was trying to navigate her and her friends through the crowd. She was certainly loving the attention, but somehow it was getting to become and nuisance. _Am I going too far? When did I ever become this vain?_ Sakura shook her head and purged her regretful thoughts. _Fuck it. I deserve every moment of this._

All of a sudden, someone grabbed her hand and pulled on it forcefully. "What the_..._" she gasped. _ Naruto-kun? _

"Sakura-chan, I need your help right now please!" Naruto spat out as he tried to catch his breath. "My friend is in trouble, can you please help him?" he pleaded desperately.

"Naruto-kun, what's the matter? Are you okay? What's going on?" Sakura asked sounding very worried.

"Please!!! Just follow me and play along would ya?" Naruto begged.

Sakura looked back and her friends in tow and gave them a confused look. "I'm so sorry girls, I really don't know what's going..." Naruto jerked her away before she could even finish her sentence, which caused her to let go of Ten Ten's hand. Sakura frantically tried to retrieve it, but was cut off by the relentless crowd. She was now being violently pulled through the club-goers by her best friend and then before she knew it, they came to a rapid halt.

"Yo Cap! Your girlfriend is here to see you," Naruto shouted as he flashed Karin a triumphant smile. _Forgive me Sakura-chan, you were my only hope._

_Did he just say girlfriend?_ Sakura glared at Naruto, even more confused than before, and searched in his eyes for an answer. But all she found was a sense of urgency that cried for help for his friend. Sakura looked towards the bar and saw the back of a raven haired man hunched over his drink looking very uncomfortable. Sitting next to him was a trashy redhead that was practically throwing herself at his feet. _She can't catch the hint, huh? Poor guy.._. _Well, here goes nothing, _she thought as she draped her slender arms around his shoulders from behind. "Miss me?" she purred into his ear. "Sorry I'm late… I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," she said as she smirked at Karin. _This is gonna be fun._

Startled, Sasuke almost jumped out of his seat. _That dobe is a fucking genius! I wonder how much he paid this girl to bail me out._ Keeping up with the front, he kept his eyes glued forward and tried his damn best to remain cool and collected. "We just got here a little while ago," he replied nonchalantly, as he fought the urge to turn around to see his savior was.

"Excuse me, bitch! You better get your hands off my man right NOW! Or else…" Karin barked at Sakura.

Sakura smirked as she tightened her grip from behind Sasuke. Leaning in closer, she licked the edge of Sasuke's ear starting from the top all the way down to his earlobe where she gave it a playful nibble, keeping her eyes focused on Karin the whole time. "Are you sure he's your man? Why don't you ask him whose bed he was in last night…" Sakura said seductively.

_Damn she's good,_ Sasuke thought as he fought the urge to turn around and instead took a swig from his glass.

"You fucking bitch! Let's go outside right now so I can kick your ass!" Karin fumed as she stood up from her stool.

"Woah, woah, woah ladies… No need to fight here. There are more than enough men to satisfy your needs, Red," Kiba said and he eyed Karin up and down.

Disgusted, Karin snatched the drink out of Sasuke's hands and threw its contents right into Sakura's face. "Think you're so hot now, you fucking bitch?!" Karin shouted as she shoved Sakura in the arm which caused her to let go of Sasuke. Sakura gave a sly grin before resuming her position behind Sasuke and once again wrapped her arms around him from behind.

_Oh shit! I'd better stop this before it gets out of hand. Sakura is gonna put this bitch in the hospital_, Naruto thought. "Ne, Sakura-chan just let her go okay? She's not worth it."

_Sakura-chan??!! That can't be… There's no way… _Sasuke sat there mortified and attempted to jerk around to see if it was true, but Sakura held him tightly in place. _She's got a killer grip. I can't move..._

Sakura licked her lips. _Mmm… tastes like Black Label. What a waste._ "I'm sorry, but this was my favorite shirt," she whispered in Sasuke's ear before she let go of him. Sakura walked up to Karin and stood so close that their noses nearly touched. "You pathetic… waste… of… air. You want some of this shit?" she growled as she tied her hair in a knot. "You think I'm gonna take your shit like a champ, bitch? Let's fucking go! Right now!"

Karin's eyes were on fire as she took a step back and slapped Sakura across the face. Sakura's head jerked to the side from impact, and then slowly turned back to face her assaulter. Karin wound up and slapped her a second time on the other cheek. Unaffected, Sakura turned to face Karin once more.

"Sakura-chan! Enough!" Naruto shouted as he tried to protect his long time friend, but she held an arm out to keep him back. Sasuke attempted to open his mouth but Naruto motioned him not to intervene.

"Tch… Is that all you've got? Bitch please, my dad used to hit me harder than that," Sakura grinned. "Come on, slut. Show me what you've got!" she taunted.

Frustrated and beyond furious, Karin snatched the beer bottle away from Kiba's hand and swung it at Sakura's head. In an instant, Sakura grabbed Karin's wrist in one fluid motion and twisted it hard enough to make her let go of the bottle. Karin fell to her knees and winced in pain. "I think we're done here. Now get the fuck away from MY man," Sakura declared as she shoved the now sobbing Karin onto the dirty club floor. Embarrassed and beaten, Karin got up quickly and scurried to the nearest exit.

"Way to save your life there buddy," Sakura teased while giving Sasuke a manly clap on the back. She let her hair loose and straightened herself up. "By the way, my name is Sakura Haruno. Turn around so I can at least see your face, geez."

Sasuke slowly swiveled the bar stool around and looked up at her with his tantalizing onyx eyes. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. Nice to see you again, Pinky." _Kami, she's so beautiful._

Sakura stood there completely shocked. "Officer Uchiha...?" _Sasuke... Uchiha...? _

* * *

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sai pushed through the crowd as he ran towards his sister. He could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest. _I hope I'm not too late._..

Flashback...  
"You assholes don't have anything better to do than to pick on my brother?" Sakura screamed as she wiped the blood off of Sai's upper lip. She gave the three older boys an icy stare while she crouched next to her 8-year old brother. She could feel the rage building up in the very pit of her stomach just waiting to explode at anytime now. "Just because we don't have a lot of money doesn't give you the right to treat us like shit! If you want someone to pick on, come for me!" she cried out. _This is not fair… We didn't choose to be born this way…_ "Sai-kun," she whispered, "Run home as fast as you can and don't look back."

"But Sakura-chan..." his wide eyes pleaded with hers. "There are three of them... There's no way you're gonna make it... Please, let's just give them what they want and go home," Sai said quietly.

"I'll be fine, Sai-kun," Sakura said softly as she helped Sai to his feet and dusted off his shorts. _What did we ever to do deserve this?_ "Go on home now… Don't look back."

Sai stood up and did what he was told and ran as fast as his feet would take him. "Sakura-chan," he said to himself as tears began to stream down his face. When he was far enough, he stopped to look back at where he had left his sister. The sight that he saw would be burned in his memory forever...

Sai watched in horror as the three boys stood above his sister unleashing an onslaught of physical attacks; kicking her… pulling her hair… slapping her across her face… As much as she tried to fight back, it was just too much for her to handle this time. Every attempt she made to stand up was shot down by a commanding shove back to the ground. _Someone… Anyone… please help her!_ In the corner of his eye, Sai saw two older boys walking towards him. "Naruto!!" he screamed out as loud as he possibly could then burst into uncontrollable sobs. _Please help Sakura-chan!_

"Hey teme, isn't that Sai?" Naruto said to his friend. They both rushed over to Sai and kneeled beside him.

"What's the matter, kid?" Sasuke asked.

"Sakura-chan… over… there…" Sai choked out between sobs. "She's… getting… hurt…"

Naruto's eyes shot up immediately and in a flash he ran towards Sakura leaving Sai behind. "We'll be right back, kid. Stay put," Sasuke said before sprinting after Naruto. _This girl is so much trouble. She's doesn't even have it in her to fight._

"I'm coming with you!" Sai shouted as he got up and ran after them.

"Hey you fuckers! Leave her alone!" Naruto yelled before tackling one of Sakura's attackers to the ground. Not far behind, Sasuke arrived and shoved another boy off of her body and gave him a quick kick to the ribs. The third boy knew better than to mess with Sakura's rescuers and ran off leaving his friends behind. After a good beating, the two boys went running home.

Sakura lay there motionless, fresh blood oozing from her nose and lip. Her left eye was sealed shut and started to show signs of heavy bruising. Naruto fell to his knees holding back his tears and sat beside her. After a few moments, he reached for her and gently helped her up not wanting to cause anymore pain to her beaten body. Sakura cracked her good eye open to see who had come to save her. "Naruto-kun… Is Sai-kun safe?" her raspy voice cracked.

"I'm right here, Sakura-chan… I'm so sorry! Please be okay!" Sai cried as he wrapped his arms around Sakura's leg.

"Let's take you to my place so my mom can clean you up, Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly as he helped her walk.

"Ouch!" Sakura winced in pain. "I think I twisted my ankle. I can't walk, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He then snatched her from Naruto and carried her bridal style. _Tch. What a pain in the ass_. As he looked at her disfigured face, he examined it carefully. _What the hell were you thinking, Sakura?_ He was beyond furious but for whatever reason, he didn't know why. "You know… you wouldn't get into this kind of trouble if you weren't so damn weak," Sasuke said dryly. Sickened at the mere sight of her, he never said anything else as they continued on to Naruto's house.

"Thank you, Sasuke," Sakura whispered weakly before finally passing out.

Holding Naruto's hand, Sai walked in silence. _I promise I won't ever let anyone else touch you again, Sakura-chan_.

End flashback…

* * *

"I can't believe my eyes… Is it really you, Sasuke?" Sakura gasped. _Kami help me_. Her mouth stood agape as she searched for the words to say. Time stood completely still as she carefully took in each detail of the man that stood before her. Sasuke stood about 6'1" which dwarfed her height; even with her heels on, the top of her head only came to about his shoulders. His dress shirt hugged the contours of his thick arms and broad shoulders; his muscular chest peeked out from the top two buttons he left unbuttoned; and his hair was longer than how he used to keep it when he was younger. _I see he got rid of that chicken butt hairstyle, finally._ Sakura felt like a teenager again and she hated every moment of it. _Why am I so nervous? Snap out of it, idiot… You're a different person now._ The way Sasuke looked at her brought her back to her younger days; his eyes were still the same – black, cold, and proud – and she could clearly recall the same way they bore a hole to her very soul. _Keep your cool, Sakura. You can do this. _But what intrigued Sakura the most was his face. She tilted her head to the side and took a good look at his face and examined it better than the night before during their first encounter. "You were that cop that pulled me over last night? I don't believe it..."

Sasuke smirked. _I wonder what's going through that mind of hers right now._ "You finally recognized me, huh? That was some scene you caused there," he said as he realized how painfully close they were standing next to each other. It took all of his willpower not to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her into an embrace. Instead he gave her a playful punch on the arm. "You know, I had it all under control earlier…"

"You should be fucking thankful, asshole! She just saved your ass from that psycho bitch and you go and turn it on her?" Naruto shouted as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Sakura-chan, you're not hurt are you?" he said as he turned to Sakura who was blushing madly. _Damn it, I knew this was a bad idea._

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun…" she said with an angelic voice. _I grew up, Sasuke. I'm not that weak girl that you knew all those years ago._

"Sakura-chan!! Are you okay? I saw the whole thing from upstairs but it took me forever to get down here. I'm so sorry for leaving you alone… Do you want to go home?" a breathless Sai spat out. Ino, Ten Ten and Hinata stood behind him all sharing the same troubled expressions on their faces. Sakura shook her head, but the look in her eyes told him otherwise. _Oh shit, it's Sasuke… Damn it all! I shouldn't have brought her here_, he scolded himself. "Let's go back to the VIP room and have some more drinks," he said as he reached for her wrist.

"Hey Sakura," Kiba said as he stepped out from behind Sasuke. "That was some crazy shit you showed that redhead earlier. Remind me never to piss you off," he joked. "How 'bout a dance to ease the tension a little bit, huh?" he asked while giving her a sexy grin and stuck out a hand towards her.

"That sounds like a great idea, Kiba," Sakura said as she reached for his hand.

"Are you sure, Sakura-chan?" Sai asked as he grabbed her free hand. _You don't have to do this, you know…_

"Aww come on, what's one dance," Sakura pouted to Sai. "I came here to have fun tonight and that's what I intend to do," she smiled. "Come on Kiba, it'll make up for that lunch date I owe you."

_Did she just say 'date'? What the hell is going on?_ Sasuke thought as he stood there speechless giving Naruto a death stare. "Have fun," he said smugly and turned to order another drink from the bar.

"Let's go beautiful," Kiba said as he led Sakura to the dance floor and gave a thumbs up to his friends.

"We'll join you Sakura! Come on girls," Ino shouted to her friends and followed the couple to the dance floor.

* * *

Naruto and Sai exchanged worried and confused looks as they watched Sakura walk away, and then turned to see a gloomy Sasuke who was now sitting back at the bar. "Yo bartender! Hook me up with three shots of patron and put it on Sakura Haruno's tab," Sai called out as he made his way to an empty seat next to Sasuke. He nudged Sasuke in the arm who was staring into a half empty glass of scotch. "She's changed a lot hasn't she? Hell, when we walked out with that outfit, I wished to Kami she wasn't my sister."

"No shit! I nearly fell over when I took a good look at her. Kiba must be having one hell of a time," Naruto chimed in as he watched Sakura and Kiba dance.

"Here you go, sir," said the bartender as he lined up the three shots in front of Sai.

Sai took one glass and handed it to Naruto and slid another to Sasuke, who was still staring silently at his drink. "You know, she's here for a few days… maybe it's time for you two to finally have a talk," he said as he picked up his shot glass. "She left because she wanted to prove to everyone she could make something of herself; not because of you," he whispered, then stood up and walked over to Naruto to hand him a lime for his drink.

Sasuke's eyes widened. _Bullshit._ _I would hate me if I were her. Sai doesn't know anything…_ "Tch," he scoffed to himself before downing the rest of his scotch.

"Let's make a toast," Naruto said while holding up his shot glass. Sai and Sasuke turned to face him and waited. "To Sakura-chan being back home again!" Naruto shouted as he stuck his shot glass out. Sai smirked and glanced over at Sasuke who was hesitant to raise his glass.

"To Sakura," Sasuke murmured then put the glass to his lips. _Welcome home, Sakura, _he thought to himself before gulping down his patron.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna go and dance with that hot blonde over there," Sai said pointing to Ino.

"Speaking of dancing, that girl next to her owes me a dance, too" Naruto grinned as he pointed to Hinata. "Man the fort, teme. We'll be back." With that the two left to join the girls on the dance floor.

_Great. _"Yo bartender, gimme another Black Label on the rocks," he called out, then turned his stool to face the rest of the club. His eyes wandered and stopped at Neji who was dancing with a very drunk Ten Ten. _Didn't think Hyuuga knew how to dance_, he thought with a grin. He continued to pan the club until he caught a glimpse of pink hair. As if on cue, the crowd parted just enough for him to have a clear view of Sakura and Kiba dancing. Sasuke reached around and grabbed his now full glass and watched intently.

_I wonder if he's watching me, _Sakura thought as she searched for Sasuke's eyes. It didn't take long until her gaze locked with his. _Gotcha._ With her back pressed against Kiba's, she reached behind her and caressed his face and swayed her hips slowly to the beat of the music. _Watch me, Sasuke_. She bent her body at the waist just slightly, grabbed Kiba's hand and moved it slowly down her leg. Kiba swiftly turned her around and pulled her close to him; their faces only inches apart. Leaning her forehead on his, she could feel his hot breath panting on her face. "Minty fresh," she joked then took both of his hands and led them slowly on her ass, as she began to grind him from the front. _Hmm, someone's getting excited_, she thought when she felt something hard push up against her thigh. Kiba closed in on the gap between their lips as its distance began to get shorter. _You want a kiss, tough guy?_ _I don't think so._ Sakura pulled away and smiled, "Thanks for the dance, Kiba." She looked at Sasuke one last time and winked before walking off the dance floor.

* * *

_That tease,_ Sasuke thought as he adjusted his slacks and gulped his drink. _I must look like some kind of pervert._ He started to feel the effects of all the alcohol and headed for the restroom to freshen up. _Man, I'm gonna hate myself in the morning_. Without looking, he took the corner a little too sharply and bumped into a very startled Sakura. "Excuse me," he said in a low voice.

"We gotta stop bumping into each other like this," Sakura teased while fixing her top. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Restroom," he answered while holding himself up on the wall beside him. _Ugh fuck, the whole room is spinning. What shitty timing._

Taking note of his behavior, she looked at him curiously. "Sasuke, are you okay? You don't look so good." She put her hand on his forehead. "Damn Sasuke, you're burning up! Stay here a minute, and don't you dare move," she said while grabbing a chair from a table set close by. "Chouji!" she shouted and motioned him to come over. "Don't let him out of your sight, I'll be right back." Her doctor instincts were kicking in as she rushed off to the bar for a wet towel.

Chouji grinned at the sight of his Captain completely shitfaced on the chair. "Too much to drink, Cap?" he teased. "You're lucky you've got a doctor in the house tonight."

"Shut up, Chouji," Sasuke barked. "I'm fine…" _This is weird, I've never felt this messed up before, _he thought as he rested his head against the wall. _Was it something I drank?_ He started to get the chills and his teeth started chattering uncontrollably. _What the fuck?!_

"Cap, you don't look so good. What the fuck did you drink?" Chouji asked worriedly.

_Think you idiot. _He tried to retrace the evening's events in his head, but it was all a blur. It was too difficult to focus in a room full of people with blaring music ringing in his ears. "Karin… that bitch," he said as he fisted his hands tightly. "She put something in my drink. I'm sure of it," he said weakly. "Chouji, I need to get out of here. My body can't hold up in this environment."

"What about Sakura? She said she would be right back. Just hold on a few more minutes, Cap. She can take better care of you than I can," Chouji said. Right when he said that, Sakura came running back with a wet towel and bottled water. "The doctor has returned. I'll leave him in your hands, Sakura."

"Thanks Chouji," she smiled and gave him a hug. "Come on Sasuke, let's go outside for some fresh air," she said as she put one arm over her shoulder and hoisted Sasuke up from the chair. Trying to balance in her heels while holding up a very limp Sasuke was quite the task, but thankfully Chouji paved a way for their exit out of the club.

Once outside, she gently sat him down on the curb and handed him the bottled water. "Drink this slowly," Sakura said softly as she placed the wet towel on Sasuke's forehead. _You're a mess tonight, Sasuke. This isn't like you at all._

"Karin…" Sasuke uttered. "I think she put something in my drink back there."

"She really wanted to get you into bed tonight, huh?" Sakura joked, but looking at the angst in Sasuke's face she felt like taking it back. "The drugs are just messing with your mind right now; try not to fight it or else it'll get worse," she said as she massaged his shoulders with her free hand. "Let's try to control your breathing. Listen to my voice, Sasuke. Breathe in… Breathe out…"

Following Sakura's breathing mantras, he could feel the chill slip away a little bit. _Amazing. I can't believe that worked._ "So, how long am I gonna feel like shit, doc?" Sasuke asked.

"Who knows? It can be a matter of minutes to hours. It just depends on the dosage she slipped you," Sakura answered as she removed her shoes. "Damn, for the price you pay for a pair of Jimmy Choo's you would think they'd make 'em a little more comfortable," she said as she twirled her stilettos in the air.

"You don't have to babysit me you know. Go back in and enjoy your 'welcome home' party," Sasuke groaned.

"Nah, I think this is more fun that having a bunch of people you don't know try to grab your ass in there anyway," she said with a cute laugh. "How's your head feeling?"

"The world is still spinning a little bit… but I'm sure I can manage," Sasuke said while tipping his head back to look at the night sky.

Sakura stood up and positioned herself in front of Sasuke, keeping her balance by putting one hand on his knee. Leaning in close to his face she whispered, "Follow my finger." She put her finger on the tip of her nose and moved it slowly to the left, then slowly to the right. "Keep with your deep breaths, Sasuke. In… out…" Her finger stopped against at the tip of her nose and her emerald eyes were suddenly captured by his gaze. _Don't do this to me right now, Sasuke._ Startled, she grabbed the half-empty water bottle and handed it to him. "Drink some more water."

Reaching for the bottle, Sasuke's hand brushed up against Sakura's. When she didn't react, he went ahead and completely covered her petite hand with his. Her eyes shot up and met his, showing a manifold of feelings he could not decipher. Sakura tried to pull away, but Sasuke's grip tightened - _"_What happened to you, Sakura?"

* * *

Please review :)

Thank you for reading!


End file.
